President Futoshi Hashimoto Interview with the President Looking back on 2010, the last year in the medium-term management plan launched in 2008, what comments do you have? Relatively stable crude oil and naphtha prices, combined with stimulus policies implemented in countries all around the world and growth in newly emerging countries, made 2010 a year of economic smooth sailing for us. In addition to these tail winds, the Toagosei Group benefited from reform measures implemented since the global recession began in the end of 2008. As a result, we were able to record our highest-ever earnings on a consolidated basis. In addition, 2010 was the final year of the three-year medium-term management plan launched in 2008. We came close to our earnings targets despite an extremely hostile operating environment, with the plan coinciding with three years of global recession. That plan had three priorities: expanding businesses with high-value-added products, strengthening our established core businesses and creating new businesses. In addition to successfully expanding sales of high-valueadded products such as Aronix UV-curable resins, industrial adhesives and high-purity industrial silicon gases, we also strengthened our fundamentals by boosting production Q1 A 2 Annual Report 2010